Travels in Peru

In 2004 Gordon travelled to Peru with Baptist Missions.

Peru is firmly established on the tourist map and is well served with daily flights from Europe. Travel within the country is relatively easy despite the dramatic contours between the sierra at 12,000 feet and the coastal region. One flight from Puno seemed to barely clear the runway before it started the descent down over Mysti Volcano to Arequipa. The luxury of air travel is a long way from open trucks that carry full loads plus passengers around seemingly impassable mountain tracks.

Huapaca is in Puno’s Pomata zone and the churches tend to form small associations rather than be full participants of the large Union. Oswaldo Toncani is the only mission worker based in Puno district and he has gained considerable respect in the area. Samuel Roque is another influential leader and together they represent a new generation of younger leaders who will help consolidate the rapidly growing work around Lake Titicaca.

In most of the churches the service ended with a presentation of various needs. It was not the kind of ‘cap in hand’ business I expected, but more about community issues that the believers considered quite appropriate to present for prayer and any other response on offer. One common theme was the need for better theological training for church leaders. The S.A.D. programme aims to provide "seminary at a distance" and is a recent development with huge potential.

The first field conference for many years was held in Tacna in March ’04. It provided an opportunity for fellowship between mission staff and the chance to look at strategic developments. An obvious characteristic was the high calibre of national workers who are the key to future mission in Peru.

The floating Islands close to Puno are home to a sizeable community who make their way between islands on flimsy reed boats and now earn a living from tourism.